An Ekiti State High Court on Friday granted bail to the Olukere of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, who is standing trial for alleged murder.

Ruling on the bail application filed by his counsel, Morakinyo Ogele, Justice Abiodun Adesodun admitted the monarch to N5m bail and two sureties in like sum.

The two sureties, he said, must swear affidavits and produce tax clearance certificates showing evidence of tax payment for three years.

He further held that one of the sureties must deposit with the court title document of land within the jurisdiction of the court.

Ogele described the ruling as symbolic and historic.

“Symbolic in the sense that it is in favour of justice and historic in the sense that it will enter into the judicial history of Ekiti. We believe that will be done eventually in this case,” he said.

The judge said he had studied the affidavit filed by the defense and the counter-affidavit filed by the prosecution. He noted that the grant or refusal of bail was predicated on some factors, like the nature and strength of evidence, the severity of the punishment upon conviction, the probability that the accused would not present himself for trial and the likelihood of interfering in the case.